Need to lead

By Bridget Cook
DEVELOPING leadership skills and personal growth will be the key focus of an eight-part breakfast program to kick off in the Cardinia Shire next month.
Local industry and business, education and training and community organisations are being called upon for the eight-week Regional Leadership Series.
The program aims to bring together people from a range of backgrounds to develop their strategic management, transformational leadership, organisation development and culture change skills.
The Cardinia Foundation has recognised the program as a great opportunity to develop a community leader and is offering sponsorship for one person to take part in the series.
Cardinia Foundation Chairman Brian Paynter said they were calling for applications from community-minded people, who have a connection to the Cardinia Shire.
“We want to reinforce the need to start developing the skills of the next generation of leaders,” Mr Paynter said.
“We want people from the business community that are going to take on community roles as well, like join the boards of the Cardinia Foundation, Outlook or even sporting groups.”
“We are finding these volunteer positions harder to fill.”
He said anyone interested in participating in the leadership series was encouraged to send in an application to them.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Graeme Legge said the series was a wonderful opportunity for local business operators, managers and leaders from industry, support services and government agencies to grow their skills and learn from some of the best in the field.
“It’s a great chance to get some fresh ideas and thinking about leadership and is equally relevant for a one-person business who wants to get bigger as it is for the manager of an organisation with 100 staff,” Cr Legge said.
“The program challenges participants to reflect on their own leadership style and provides a supportive setting in which to develop skills and improve leadership capability.
“This series will bring together locally a panel of top quality presenters for a program that people would otherwise have to travel to Melbourne or even interstate to experience, at significant expense.”
The Regional Leadership Series, presented in the form of a working breakfast, is a joint initiative of the Cardinia Shire Council, GippsTafe, Leadership Psychology Australia and the Australian Human Resources Institute.
Places in the program, to be held at Cardinia Cultural Centre in Pakenham, are strictly limited and cost $1,695 per person, all-inclusive.
To book your place or find out more, contact Jenny Smith at the council on 1300 787 624.
To apply for the Cardinia Foundation’s sponsorship email admin@cardiniafoundation.com.au or call Brian Paynter on 0407 140 562.